Carly Roberts

A senior councillor has explained why bin men are sometimes seen tipping recycling into general refuse lorries.

It comes after several people contacted the Chron perplexed about the site of carefully-separated plastics, cardboard and glass being piled in with black plastic bags.

Mike of Weston Favell claims that on bin collection day he watched on while boxes of glass, plastic, metal and papers - which he sorted into the correct boxes - were tipped into one black bin and “mixed up in the back of the bin lorry.”

He said: “The council tells us to separate the different items into specific boxes yet they go and do the opposite.

“Why am I and everybody else sorting rubbish into different boxes but the bin men mix it all up in the back of the bin lorry.?”

It comes after the news that Northampton Borough Council is reminding residents that they can recycle as many seasonal items as they like this festive season, including cards, wrapping paper and sweet tins.

However, Councillor Mike Hallam, the cabinet member for environment, said there is an good explanation... and recycling will always be separated out as expected.

Councillor Hallam said: “Sometimes the right sort of collection lorry isn’t available, for instance, if one has broken down.

“When that happens although the recycling materials are mixed as they are collected, everything is still sent to be recycled.”